Prior Review
by Rosalind89
Summary: A college senior realizes everything she was searching for was directly in front of her.


* * *

After hearing bright laughter drift across the room, Will casually turned to view the happy display. "Sounds like some fun's going on…" he thought to himself.

In doing so, his eyes met with an ebullient, blonde woman who had a mind, body and soul weakening smile. He was startled by the intensity of her gaze, and they locked eyes for what seemed years. She hadn't flinched under his flattering stare, but she was the first to break contact, her people taking her attention from him. She reluctantly turned back to her jokesters, smiled a few more times, and looked back over her shoulder at the distant man across the room; Will, who would casually scan the room for this golden haired mystery girl every few moments, hid his surprise with a delicious smile as he caught her already looking at him. With a smirk at being caught by his gaze as well, she nodded to her distant man as she turned and continued on her way, serving tray and all.

"She works here…." He thought to himself, making a mental note. Still seated across the room, Will observed the girl walk away as his mind suddenly lost itself in tasteless thoughts about this new woman. Shaking his head, quietly laughing to himself, he felt his conscious convict him of such things. "Something's different about her," he silently admitted to himself, as he watched her bring the bunch their drinks.

Up now, walking through the crowds gathered along the dance floor, Will observed the people around him, laughing every now and then at their crazy, drunken antics, but he could not steal his eyes away from his bubbly blonde waitress: She was carrying heavy trays with swift grace, and occasionally her voice would drift to his ears with smart, witty comebacks to the hopeful men testing her beautiful defenses…

Sighing, and seeing an empty barstool, Will sat down, turning every now and then, not knowing why. "Mate, snap out of it," he muttered as the noise of _T__he Neon Willow_, local pub, muffled the room.

" 'Ello Will, what can I getchya?," asked Riley Ericson, old school friend, current bartender.

"Just some water, don't feel much like drinking tonight, but 'ow are you?" inquired will, surprised by his accent stumbling into his dialogue, but he shrugged it off, knowingly.

"Water it is, then. I'm al'right. Oy, don't you normally 'ave a gaggle o' girls 'round by now? What gives, eh? You're suppose ta bring 'em over, so I's can work my magic," Riley winked, straightening his shirt collar.

Chuckling, with a smirk across his face, Will replied, "Aye, mate, but tonight I've found me'self a tad preoccupied. Just don't feel like it, I guess," he confessed.

"Preoccupied's right, mate. I seen ya, eyein one of 'me waitresses, I think."

"Oy, whatever man. So, what 'ave you been up to?" asked Will, hoping Riley would follow along and divert the subject away from the waitress.

"Let's see... Hmm...," started Riley.

Laughing, Riley wiped a few glasses as he and Will caught up, lost in conversation of the past as minutes ticked by. But in the middle of an old high school tale, Riley suddenly stopped his bartenderly duties, almost dropping a glass and cutting Will off in the middle of his sentence, as he shifted his attention to something, _someone_, walking by the bar.

She wore black boots, jeans, and a sleeveless black halter top laced up the sides of her trim waist, with the excess leather strings curled at her hips. There were dark mangles of necklaces drooped around her slender neck, and her wrists echoed with the clang of a mess of bracelets with each step she took. Her face, sun kissed, sleek and striking, was surrounded by an intensity of long, golden, loosely bouncing curls, dancing with her strides. Her tender lips, lathered in a subtle, but sharp shade of entrancing red lipstick, softened her all ready gorgeous features, drawing attention to her eyes. Her surprisingly warm brown eyes, enhanced by the delicate strokes of black eyeliner and other various dark shades of eye shadow and mascara,flashed to Riley and the man with him. Riley stood a bit straighter under her piercing glare; she nodded towards him, and caught eyes with the other man as she turned her gaze. She quietly laughed to herself as shefound herselflost inthe stranger's breathless stare, and shot him a devastating smile, continuing on her path.

Every other man turned as she walked by. Only and Idiot wouldn't look at her. Even a blind man would turn, just because of the mere strength of her presence. Then, the men all turned back 'round to their drinks, smiling at themselves for catching such a mesmerizing sighting.

Will's eye's followed the woman as she crossed the room, following her as she clambered the few steps up the stage he hadn't noticed earlier, but her body paused as she topped the final step. She turned, as if she were sensing a familiar stare, and locked eyes with his. Will's breath caught deep within his chest. He attempted to smile, trying to hide his guilt for foolishly staring, or actually for being caught foolishly staring, but she swiftly swept herself behind a billowy curtain, before he hadthe chance.

She recognized him, or had she? He had never seen her before. Surely he would remember seeing someone like _her_…but there was something about her. Her smile tumbled through his mind as he tried to place where he had seen it before, but he was interrupted.

"'My god, I love Friday nights," Riley finally said, breaking the stunned silence between him and Will.

"Huh? …What do you mean?" Will responded, reluctantly turning from the stage back to him.

"Haha, mate. You'll see. Give it 5 minutes time, she's getting' the guys ready backstage," Riley said, his voice thick with knowledge.

"Yeah?" Will asked, anxiously.

* * *

"Yeah," smiled Riley, as he looked to the stage, the lights dimming as he did so.

Working their way to the front, as centerstage as possible, Will and Riley stood, waiting with the other hungry ears of those scattered throughout the Willow.

The room was cloaked in darkeness, and suspense flooded Will's senses. He knew she was about to walk out on the stage, and he still couldn't place where he had seen her before. Feeling his heart race, he tried to squint through the darkness, trying to see anything in front of him. He did his best to ignore the others cramped around him on the dance floor. Noticing a clamminess overwhelm his palms, he brushed them against his jeans, with an annoyed sigh. Why was he acting this way? Why were his palms sweaty? What was happening to him?

"Snap out of it, mate," he muttered under his breath, to himself.

Then, in the deafening silence and darkness, he heard the curtain pull away. Someone twanged a guitar string in tune off to his right, but he wasn't interested in guitars. He was interested in_ her._ The audience, recognizing the show was about to start, waited in bated anticipation. His eyes, now use to the atmosphere, scanned the stage. Will, waiting for what felt like years, anxiously cast a glance to the stage, startled by what he saw: A figure, standing, waiting…in the dark.

A gentle piano melody delicately started amidst the blackness overwhelming the stage, and a clear, steady voice echoed throughout the room, a voice from the figure, still masked in darkness.

"How can you see into my eyes, like open doors? Leading you down into my core, where I become so numb? ..." she sang.

The gentle beat of drums joined her, along with the strums of a guitar, but everything was still black across the stage. Will could only make out her silhouette. She was directly in front of him, close enough to where he could see her chest rise and fall with each breath she took. Feeling the others tense with excitement around him, Will's heart thumped in frenzy. Why was he so nervous about a girl he'd never even met?

"Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold, until you find it there in me, lead me back home…"

As the last word echoed throughout the intricate sound system, the lights burst across the stage, flooding it with light and illuminating the members of the band strategically positioned behind the gorgeous woman singing her soul into the microphone. An electric guitar's noise overwhelmed the room, leaving the woman poised at her mic, eyes closed, lyrics and melody spilling from her alluring lips. Focus, confidence and strength melted from her presence on the night club's stage, and Will couldn't tear his eyes away.

"Wake me up inside, wake me up inside, call my name and save me from the dark, bid my blood to run before I come undone, save me from the nothing I've become…," screamed the chorus, from those red lips.

"Now that I know what I'm without, you can't just leave me, breathe into me and make me real. Bring me…to life…," she echoed with intense sincerity and passion, scanning the crowd swaying to the music on the dance floor. Her eyes met with the mystery man, rooted next to Riley, who was staring directly at her.

"Wake me up, wake me up inside, call my name and save me from the dark, bid my blood…" she continued, not daring to break her gaze with his, a subtle smile spreading across her face.

Will stood, looking into her brown eyes, feeling himself dissolve before her stare. She flashed her glare across the crowd while ending the song, but her gaze fell on Will at its final chords.

"She's… amazing," he breathlessly whispered to himself.

The audience cheered and applauded at the song's end, but Will hardly noticed the commotion around him. She was looking at him as much as he was looking at her. It was obvious ; She did recognize him, Will could read it across her tender face and smile, and he recognized _her._ Suddenly realizing who she was, his attention jerked to Riley, who was still standing next to him, attempting to head bang.

"Oy! She's the waitress!" Will yelled, his voice loud, trying to overcome the sounds in the room.

"Uh, what are 'ou talkin 'bout?" responded Riley, swiping his jostled hair out from his face.

"Mate, c'mon. She's the girl!"

"uh, yeah, she _is_ a girl...," laughed Riley.

"No shit, smartass," retorted Will, with a hint of annoyance. " Earlier, remember you noticed that I've been preoccupied tonight? Well I was…on account I was staring at a blonde goddess of a waitress."

"…ok, now what does that 'ave to do wit 'er?" inquired Riley, as he and Will's eyes swept back to the stage, at the woman before them.

"Mate, it's her. I'd know that laughter anywhere…"

Laughter was right. With the song over, and the band making preparations to transition to the next piece, the bangeld woman stood at her microphone, addressing the audience, smiling and laughing with her fans.

"So, how is everyone doing tonight?" she questioned. " Looking forward to another memorable weekend this fine summer?" she winked, smiling. "I'm glad Friday's here, 'cause if it wasn't I wouldn't be singin' here tonight."

The crowd answered in cheers and other various drunken rhetoric. Will, ignoring everything but the words from his mysterious waitress-now-singer, finally turned to Riley, with seriousness etched across his face, wanting an explanation.

"Uh," Riley grumbled anxiously, "ok. Look, no one's s'pose to recognize 'er. She waitresses and such, but she made me promise not to let anyone know she's the lead in _Prior Review_. Only on Friday's, mate.

"Why doesn't she want anyone to know she sings too?" asked Will, as he turned back towards the stage, noticing the band was gearing up for another song.

Joining the stare, Riley responded, "I 'ave no idea. She woul'nt say. She's a peculiar one, she is. But all it took was that smile to win me o'er."

"Aye, that smile…," whispered Will, who was again lost in the words flowing from her lips.

Guitar's swelled, and drums kept steady rhythm, but nothing could keep up with Will's heart as it beat in his chest. He watched her all night, hoping she'd cast a few more glances in his direction, and whenever she would happen across his stare, he, feeling his courage and confidence reinstate itself, would nod with a sexy, satisfied smile.

Something would flicker in her eyes as she'd meet his.

* * *

"Hmm," murmured Will, lost in thought.

* * *

He was now looking at the stage as a whole, taking in the scene. Sizing the band behind her, he let his eyes fall again on the woman singing lead. She was the waitress from earlier, and now the tactless, testosterone driven thoughts from earlier rushed his mind again. Laughing at himself, he looked up.

* * *

She was lost in song, staring directly at him.

* * *

"She's interested, well, she intrigued at least…," Will keenly hungrily to himself, desire flooding his senses. Locking eye contact, the two looked at each other till the song's end, lost in each other's stare.

* * *

Tonight had definitely been an odd one for Diane. After working an eight hour shift on the floor, busing tables and taking orders, the last thing she wanted to do was lead her band in a gig, but she knew if she didn't, her editor would flip. A country and contemporary girl at heart, leading a rock band wasn't exactly expected from a girl like herself. A year ago, if someone were to tell her she'd be the vixen leading _Prior_ _Review_ in regular gigs throughout her college town, Diane would have laughed in their face. But, life has a funny way of working itself out, and within in a few months of working for a local newspaper, she found herself working for the lifestyle section, and manning a band was the way to get all the juicy stories, said her editor.

* * *

Understanding if she didn't do what her boss demanded she'd be fired on the spot, Diane heeded his decree and mustered a band together. Not thinking anything would take off, she found a gig in a local bar, and prayed for a miracle. Her band mates, who she found from a very pathetic, desperate ad in the paper, were not exactly "stellar," (nor was Diane) but she felt comfortable singing with them, letting the melody flow from herself with their tunes guiding her voice. After endless rehearsals, the first gig didn't end in an explosion, or anything else dangerous, but an invite for a second appearance was offered.

* * *

Word traveled across the tiny town and by the band's second outing, a real audience had started to develop. Then, almost instantly, the band was popular, and clubs all over were calling to book them. Dubbing themselves _Prior Review,_ Diane passed along her notes of their newfound popularity to her editor, who then decided to make _PR_ a permanent fixture at the Blue Willow Pub, where they were first discovered.

* * *

Now, here she was after another night of working the floor and stage, and she was exhausted, her mind numb from another busy day. But, she couldn't shake the peculiar feeling, enveloping her senses. His face, smile, and stare stood frozen in her mind.

* * *

She had noticed him earlier in the evening, while she was taking drink orders from a group of tactless men. She was going about her regular business, smiling and dealing with the scum hitting on her, but she caught a strange man's eye, and met his gaze for a moment.

* * *

"Cute…," she remembered thinking, assessing the strange man's features.

* * *

Though, under his stare, Diane felt an overwhelming comfort flood her wits.

* * *

Feeling herself blush a little, she smiled at him, and continued on her way, laughing… "It's just a guy with a pretty smile…" she remembered thinking to herself.

* * *

The rest of the night blurred together, as she finished up her shift and made a quick change for the gig. Although changing into her rock 'n roll garb was somewhat tedious, it was one of her favorite parts of Friday evenings; Diane was rather modest about her appearance, but donning a lusty shade of lipstick has a way of boosting a girl's confidence. With the right accessories, Diane knew she could steal a man's attention if the need called for it, and knowing she had that skill up her sleeve kept her smiling from day to day.

* * *

Yet, thoughts of the mystery man kept inundating her mind throughout the evening as she worked her tables, and she did her best to ignore the flutter in her chest, as she thought of him.

* * *

Many men had come and gone in Diane's life, but none ever seemed too interested in providing long lasting relationships. Most were gone before any seriousness set in between them, leaving a very lonely woman behind. Being a very independent soul to start with, Diane moved along in life, in school, without much worry about love and relationships, knowing it'd come when the time was right; and she did her best to keep her loneliness hidden by throwing herself into work; with the newspaper, with waitressing the pub, or with the band.

* * *

Standing in front of her mirror in her makeshift dressing room located in the utility closet at the back of the pub, Diane stared at her reflection. Her hair, long and wavy, was up in a blonde, messy bun now, as she wiped the remnants of her thick stage make up off her smooth face. Rubbing the lines of mascara and eyeliner out of her eyes, she sighed as she watched her regular and ordinary appearance unveil itself. She changed into jeans and a comfortable tank top and gathered her belongings together, set to leave for the evening; Well, morning. Glancing at her watch, she closed the closet door behind her.

* * *

"2 am!?, my goodness…," she thought, incredulously.

* * *

Walking behind the bar, she glided through the swinging door, and found herself in front of the stage. Casting a glance around the room, she noticed it was deserted. Looking at the counter, Diane saw a short, scribbled note from Riley simply stating he had locked up, and wanted her to set the alarm when she was on her way out.

* * *

It was routine for them; she normally left so late after her gigs that Riley ended up making her a key and left the bar to her in the evenings.

* * *

Smiling as she read the chicken scratch, she laughed.

* * *

"Riley's a peculiar one…," she thought to herself.

* * *

But, in thinking of Riley and his oddness, she was reminded of the mystery man again. The man she had seen earlier in the evening, while she was waitressing, was the same man talking to Riley, by the bar when she had passed on her way to the stage.

* * *

Thinking of him now, she was lost in thoughts of the mystery man's appearance and demeanor. She estimated he stood close to 6 feet tall. His face, soft and calm, formed a strong chin and sensuous smile. His eyes, stern but beautiful, carved into her core, even at the very thought of them. Deep, brown and penetrating, they were, and she was hungry for them, for their sharp stare. It had been a while since anyone had looked at her so deeply, and his stare lit sparks in her soul.

* * *

Feeling herself bite her lip, Diane shook her head in soft laughter.

* * *

"Snap out of it, Ives. He's just a man, a _very_ good looking man…," she mumbled to herself.

* * *

But again, she was lost in thought of him. His image: tall, muscular with sleek arms and a trim waist. How carefully his russet curly locks fell around his face …she wondered how his hands would feel across her skin, across her arm, across her neck, her chin…With her eyes closed, still biting her lip, "I wonder what his lips taste like…," she cunningly wondered.

"…Ack! Stop it," she said aloud after a long pause, trying to clear him from her mind.

Realizing she was still standing alone in the night club, by the bar, she walked over to the stage, observing how the boys had cleaned up her band equipment. All was well, except for the location of the piano. It stood in the middle of the stage, out of its ordinary place, waiting for someone to push it out of the way.

* * *

Looking around, Diane climbed the few steps up the stage, and she made her way to the piano. She carefully sat on the polished piano bench, and lifted the cover. With a soft smile, she delicately poised her fingers atop its ivory keys and began a piece she'd written, memorized after ages of work.

* * *

In the rare free time she had, Diane dabbled in song writing. Soothed after each time she wrote, she became infatuated with her music and her time to herself.

* * *

She had agonized over it for months, but this particular song was finally completed. She was alone and it was time to test her song. All her emotion caught up with her, thoughts of Mr. Mystery flooding her senses all over again, and she used the newfound passion to asses her lyrics. Alone, in the silence of the stage, with nothing but the gentle, hollow sounds of the piano, she sang from her soul, feeling every being of herself dissolve into her song…

…. If I'm not in love with you What is this I'm going through Tonight

* * *

And if my heart is lying then What should I believe in Why do I go crazy Every time I think about you, baby Why else do I want you like I do If I'm not in love with you

And if I don't need your touch Why do I miss you so much Tonight

* * *

If it's just infatuation then Why is my heart aching To hold you forever Give a part of me I thought I'd never Give again to someone I could lose If I'm not in love with you…

* * *

Lost, in search for words for another verse across her memory, she continued playing her melody, vanishing in the moment.

* * *

Her heart was very much attune with the song and its rhythms, but she knew she wasn't completely opening herself up to her piece. It deserved her honesty and sincerity, but she had no one to sing it to, no one to love, to question such deep feelings towards…she was missing the key component of what she was singing about. She was missing love.

* * *

"It'll come soon…," she cooed to herself as she played her music through to the end, lost in wishful romance…

But, as the hollow sound of a chord vibrated throughout the piano, Diane realized she was no longer alone.

"That's…beautiful ," whispered a voice from the shadows.

She stopped, instantly, jerked from her dreamy, wistful trance. The club was closed, and all her bandmates had left after the gig. She was suppose to be alone. She froze on the piano bench.

"Oh my God," she thought as fear raced through her veins. Someone else was here, with her in the silence, the darkness of the club. "Riley swore he'd locked the door…"

Her body tensed in defense, and she cautiously looked over her shoulder to view the shadowy figure.

This was the only time she had to herself, with the piano…for _her_ music, _her_ lyrics. No one else knew of her secret habit of writing songs, but if anyone were to discover her passionate skills, her reputation as a hardcore rocker would be ruined, and her cover for the newspaper…blown. How dare someone disrupt the rare moment she could be herself, all disguises unmasked? She didn't know whether she was angrier at being disturbed or fearful for her life. I mean, c'mon, it was practically 2 am, in a "closed" nightclub, a girl's got to be cautious.

As she turned to the voice, the silhouette stepped forward into the dimmed lights around the stage.

"You…," she said breathlessly. It was him, the man who she noticed staring at her all night. Mr. Mystery was directly in front of her.

She could see him fully now, and her fear melted once her eyes met his tender gaze.

" I'm sorry if I startled you, but we haven't had the opportunity of meeting," he carefully smiled, a slight British accent stumbling from his lips. He looked at her, looking for something to read from her expression, but it was almost as if his deep, supple brown eyes were looking through her. Nonetheless, he waited for her to say something, with his suave smile, perfectly placed along his splendid lips.

That's all it took for her heart to practically stop: that smile. His eyes were penetrating, yes, but his smile was devastatingly breathtaking.

_ "Compose yourself. He's talking to you. Say something, idiot," her thoughts muttered._

She offered a smile, "hmm. I wasn't finished, yet," she tried to say with a steady voice. "Care to hear the rest?" she asked, boldness illuminating her face.

"I would love to hear the rest, but I've got to know something," he softly spoke, smiling and swallowing her in his gaze.

Trying not to fall off the piano bench from being hit with such an amazing smile, Diane daringly replied, "Of course, Mystery Man, what can I do for you?"

Cocking his head slightly, "Mystery Man?" he inquired.

Diane answered with a smirk and nod, waiting.

Taking a step closer to her, his confidence peaked. "You can…," he smiled, " tell me your name," he whispered, his eyes darting to hers.


End file.
